


The Demon of Notre Dame

by StormFireGirl



Category: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Reality, Based on a Disney Movie, F/M, Gypsy Culture, Subliminal Messages
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-23 13:58:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4879495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormFireGirl/pseuds/StormFireGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In this version, Kurt Wagner takes on Quasimodo's role in the movie, while my OC AJ plays Esmarelda, Senator Robert Kelley is Frodo (admit it, it'll fit) and Gambit is Clopin. I decided to make Jamie Madrox human in this one so it fits too.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Up in the bell towers of Notre Dame, there exists a mysterious man... or rather a demon as the citizens of Paris believe. Under Judge Kelley's rule all Mutants are subjugated against, and secretly cry out for freedom while Nightcrawler of Notre Dame wishes for freedom of is own.</p>
<p>What will happen? Read on to find out!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Bells of Notre Dame

 

======================================

 

 

The sun shone down onto the streets of Paris, covered in sewage and puddles from which rain had recently brought. A patrol of guards marched by dutifully, on alert at all times. 

 

A peaceful chiming could be heard from all corners of the town, stemming from it's crown jewel the cathedral Notre Dame. The bells were being rung, clanging and ringing as it echoed across the cobblestone and houses close together. On one of these streets sat a little caravan wagon, and inside Gambit sang, inviting a few small children over to hear him. 

 

The mutant story teller had to be careful, for the guards were cruel to his kind, but he could not resist telling the little ones who gathered a story he had heard from his own troupe before coming here alone; they had all been arrested on false charges, so it was only him now. 

 

 **"Morning in Paris, the city awakes,**  
**To the bells of Notre Dame.**  
**The fisherman fishes, the bakerman bakes,**  
**To the bells of Notre Dame.**  
**To the big bells as loud as the thunder,**  
**To the little bells soft as a psalm,**  
**And some say the soul of the city's,**  
**The toll of the bells,**  
**The bells of Notre Dame!"**

 

He paused his song for a moment and held his hand to cup his ear. "Listen, they're beautiful, no? So many colors of sound, so many changing moods..." He held up a finger in declaration. "Because you know, they don't ring all by themselves!"

 

"They don't?!" His puppet, a look-alike he'd made of himself said in a squeaky voice to make the children giggle.

 

"No, you silly boy!" Gambit pointed upwards at Notre Dame. "Up there, high, high in the dark bell tower, lives the mysterious bell ringer. Who is this creature?"

 

"Who?" His puppet echoed.

 

"What is he?"

 

"What?"

 

"How did he come to be there?"

 

"How?"

 

"Hush!" He tapped the puppet's head with a wicker rod, making the children laugh as it squeaked an, 'ow!'. "Gambit will tell you." He turned to the children. "It is a tale, a tale of a man, and a monster."

 

He paused only momentarily before beginning his tale.

 

\---

 

 **"Dark was the night when our tale was begun**  
**On the docks near Notre Dame!"**

 

_A baby wailed softly as the boat slank through the water. Aboard were three men and a woman, cradling a tiny bundle. All three were mutants, seeking sancutary after being driven from their homeland. The father, Azazel looked at his wife Mystique with fear and stress in his eyes._

_"Shut him up will you?!" He hissed in alarm though did not mean to sound so cruel._

_"We'll be spotted!" The third party rasped as well._

_"Hush little one." Mystique crooned softly to her two-month old son._

 

 **"Four frightened gypsies slid silently under,**  
**The docks near Notre Dame!"**

 

_"Four guilders for safe passage into Paris." Their ferryman demanded in a hushed voice, holding out a glove hand-_

_An arrow pierced his rod! They were instantly surrounded by soldiers, with no way of escape. None of their powers could save them from the mysterious metal they used to keep them at bay. Azazel put an arm in front of his wife and child and knocked a spear aside to try and keep them from harm as an omnious shadow appeared, the figure being..._

 

 **"But a trap had been laid for the gypsies,**  
**And they gazed up in fear and alarm!**  
**At a figure whose clutches,**  
**Were iron as much as the bells,"**

 

_"Judge Robert Kelley!" The red-skinned mutant gasped in fear as he twisted around with his family and laid eyes upon the man._

 

**"The bells of Notre Dame."**

 

_Azazel clutched Mystique close to his body in both protection and a silent apology; he had wanted to keep his new family safe... they were not, could not be any longer. They had been caught by Kelley, who rode up upon a black steed as dark as the night itself._

 

 **"Judge Robert Kelley longed,**  
**To purge the world,**  
**Of vice and sin..."**

 

_The young woman gasped and stifled a cry as her husband was pulled away from her and clamped with inhibitor chains and arrested._

 

 **"And he saw corruption,**  
**Ev'rywhere,**  
**Except within."**

_They were dragged away and Azazel whispered, "forgive me my love...!" to his wife._

_"Bring these gypsy vermin to the Palace of Justice." Kelley ordered._

_"You there, what are you hiding?" A guard shouted and tried to grab the bundle, but Mystique pulled away from his advance, though he gripped her wrist firmly._

_"Stolen goods, no doubt. Take them from her."_

 

**"She ran."**

 

_Mystique tore blindly through the snowy streets of Paris, the territory unfamiliar and though she shifted into several forms, the judge was hot on her heels! She darted up some steps, heading towards Notre Dame. She had to get herself and her son to safety! She must!  Judge Kelley was gaining on her, the horse's hot breath breathing down her spine as she gasped in her own, leaping skillfully over a railing and landed on snow-covered sacks of flour before darting along the alleyway. He was cut off for the moment, much to her luck. She rushed up the steps to the cathedral and banged upon the massive wooden doors._

_"SANCTUARY! PLEASE GIVE US SANCTUARY!" She screamed loudly in terror, knowing her brief time was short._

_She whirled around to see the Judge approaching on his steed and, panicking turned to flee again to find safety, darting across the ground in hopes that if she could just-!_

_He caught up this time though, and grabbed at the bundle and pulled! Mystique shrieked and tried to fight back, to save her son, her son-!_

_Judge Kelley yanked him out of her arms and she fell, hitting her head upon the cold stones so hard it broke her skull open, killing her instantly. She reverted back to her true form of blue skin and red hair as her body grew as cold as the snow._

_As if sensing his mother's demise, the baby began to wail again, and the Judge eyed the bundle curiously. "A baby?" Was this why the mutant had fled? But when he pulled back the cloth, he was horrified at the sight of him. "A monster!" He looked around and his eyes landed upon a well, and with darkness in his gaze he rode over to it and held the infant up, about to drop him...!_

_"STOP!"_

 

**"Cried the Archdeacon..."**

 

_Archdeacon Xavier stood there, having heard the mutant's cry but was too late to save her._

 

_"This is an unholy deamon. I'm sending it back to hell, where it belongs!" Kelley justified himself._

_Archdeacon Xavier cradled the dead woman in his arms, and looked at the Judge._

 

 **_"See there the innocent blood you have spilt,_ **  
**_On the steps of Notre Dame!"_ **

 

_"I am guiltless. She ran, I pursued."_

 

 **_"Now you would add this child's blood to your guilt,_ **  
**_On the steps of Notre Dame!"_ **

 

_"My conscience is clear!" He began to march past, contemplating on how he was to be rid of this monstrosity..._

 

 _**"You can lie to yourself and your minions,** _  
_**You can claim that you haven't a qualm!** _  
_**But you never can run from,** _  
_**Nor hide what you've done from the eyes,** _  
_**The very eyes of Notre Dame!"** _

__

_The statues of the holiest of holies seemed to gaze upon him, confirming the Archdeacon's words. Kelley considered himself to be a very holy and righteous man of course, so his words haunted him dearly._

 

 **"And for one time in his life,**  
**Of power and control..."**

_The eyes of Saint Mary fell upon him as his gut clenched._

 

 **"Kelley felt a twinge of fear,**  
**For his immortal soul!"**

 

_"What must I do?" The Judge finally relented._

_"Care for the child, and raise it as your own." Archdeacon Xavier told him, bringing the body of Mystique with him to prepare for a proper burial._

_"What? I'm to be saddled with this misshapen...? Very well. Let him live with you, in your church."_

_"Live here? Where?"_

 

 _**"Anywhere,** _  
_**Just so he's kept locked away,** _  
_**Where no one else can see.** _  
_**The bell tower, perhaps,** _  
_And who knows, our Lord works in mysterious ways._  
_**Even this foul creature may,** _  
_**Yet prove one day to be,** _  
_**Of use to me..."** _

 

\---

 

"And Frollo gave the child a cruel name. A name that means 'worm', Nightcrawler." Gambit finished with a slight scowl before singing the last bit of his song.

 

 **"Now here is a riddle to guess if you can,**  
**Sing the bells of Notre Dame!**  
**Who is the monster and who is the man?"**

 

High above Gambit, above the city, inside of Notre Dame's belltower, a mysterious silhoutte yanked the thick ropes with both hands... and a spaded tail as the bells rang merrily.

 

 **"Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells**  
**Bells, bells, bells, bells,**  
**Bells of Notre Dame!"**


	2. Nightcrawler

The figure, in reality Nightcrawler himself swung himself with the ropes, landing perfectly onto the wooden floor beneath and bounded on all fours towards one of the many balconies surrounding the belltower of Notre Dame. He did indeed have the appearance of a demon from the text books, though he never felt inclined to evil. He was blue and covered from head-to-toe in short fur of the same hue, with golden eyes and a set of fangs to match. Not to mention he had three fingers on each hand, three toes on each foot, and a spaded tail to match.

 

But his appearance didn't matter up in his home. The young man was perfectly fine up there, ringing the bells day in, day out.

 

He turned his attention towards a nest built in one of the gargoyle's mouths. Inside was a tiny white chick.

 

"Good morning." He greeted it with a fanged smile and gentle voice. The bird squawked in reply. "Will today be the day? Are you ready to fly?" It chirped uncertainly. "You sure? Good day to try. Why, if I could pick a day to fly, oh, this would be it!" He scooped up the little one in his hands ever so carefully and held it out to see the world. "The Festival of Fools!"

 

It seemed to gulp and cheeped at him uncertainly again, but began to flap it's wings. "It'll be fun! The jugglers, a-and music, and dancing!" Nightcrawler couldn't stop a laugh as he pulled his hands away and watched his little friend flap. The bird looked overjoyed at it's new-found freedom and landed in his hands again, just as a flock of pigeons flew by. It cheeped excitedly and looked to him for reassurance. "Go on, nobody wants to be cooped up here forever!"

 

He watched at the bird chirped a sort of 'thank you', then all by itself it flew away into the morning to join with it's feathery brethren. He sighed in melancholy, but was proud and happy for the little one.

 

At that moment, the gargoyle came alive and spat out the nest! "Pwah! Ptoo! Man! I thought he'd never leave." He declared. "I'll be spitting feathers for a week."

 

Another across from him came alive as well and it replied to the other, "Well that's what you get for sleeping with your mouth open!"

 

"Heheheh, go scare a nun." The first snorted and then leaned over. "Hey 'Crawler! What's going on down there, a fight? A flogging?"

 

"A festival!" The second gargoyle gasped excitedly.

 

"You mean the Feast of Fools?!"

 

"Uh huh." Nightcrawler nodded.

 

"All right, all right! Pour the wine and cut the cheese!"

 

"It is a treat to watch the colourful pageantry of the simple peasent folk." The second sighed blissfully.

 

"Nothing like balcony seats for watching the 'ol F-O-F!" The first agreed and elbowed Nightcrawler.

 

"Yeah... watch." The man sighed, turning away.

 

"Oh look, a mime." The first began to hock up a wad of spit but the second slapped a hand over his mouth to stop him, gesturing over to the poor young man. "Hey, hey, hey! What gives?"

 

"Aren't you going to watch the festival with us?" The second asked, but Nightcrawler didn't reply.

 

"I don't get it!"

 

"Perhaps he's sick?"

 

"Impossible!" A third, much older gargoyle hobbled over to join them, followed by a group of pigeons. "If twenty years of listening to you two hasn't made him sick by now, nothing will!" A few pigeons landed on her as she leaped down from the railing.

 

"But watching the Festival of Fools has always been the highlight of the year for Nightcrawler!" The second reasoned.

 

"What good is watching a party if you never get to go- THERE!" She waved her arms to shoo off the pigeons. "Get away from me, go on you bunch of buzzards!" The trio hopped into the belltower's main room, Nightcrawler's home. "He's not made of stone, like us!"

 

Nightcrawler meanwhile, climbed up to the model square he'd made of the city he could see below, including figurines of the people he'd see regularly. He sat on his stool, gazing at it in longing, almost. The trio of gargoyles -Victor, Hugo and Laverne- watched as well, almost sensing his depression. It was Laverne that approached first, seeing him idly play with one of the figurines.

 

"'Crawler what's wrong?" She asked him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You want to tell old Laverne all about it?"

 

"I-I just don't feel like watching the festival, that's all." The young man admitted.

 

"Ever think of going there instead?"

 

"Sure, but I'd never fit in out there." Nightcrawler told her. "I'm not... normal."

 

"Oh, 'Crawler, 'Crawler, 'Crawler-... do you mind?" Laverne paused as a group of pigeons settled on her. "I would like to have a moment with the boy if it's all right with you!" She snapped, chasing them off of her.

 

"Hey, quit beating around the belltower." Hugo approached next, hopping onto the model square and pulled a figurine of himself placed in Notre Dame. "What we gotta do, paint you alfresco?"

 

"As your friends and guardians we insist you attend the festival!" The third, Victor took Nightcrawler's arm and pulled him off of the stool. 

 

"Me?!" Nightcrawler asked.

 

"No, the pope. Of course you!" Hugo exclaimed and stuffed his mouth with the figurine. 

 

"It would be a vertiable poupourii of educational expiriences!" Victor added in, pulling it out of his mouth.

 

"Wine, women and song!" Hugo agreed.

 

"You can learn to identify various regional cheeses!"

 

"Bobbing for snails!"

 

"Study indigineous folk music!"

 

"Playing 'Dunk the Monk'!"

 

"'Crawler take it from an old spectatre, life is not a spectatre sport." Laverne summarized. "If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without you!"

 

"Yeah, you're human!" Hugo agreed. "With the flesh and the hair and the navel lint... We're just part of the architecture! Right Victor?"

 

"Yet," he said from inside the bucket that had been slapped on his head from Hugo earlier. "If you chip us, will we not flake? If you moiston us, do we not grow moss?" Victor quoted dramatically.

 

"èCrawler just grab a clean tunic and a fresh pair of hosen-"

 

"Thanks for the encouragement but you're all forgetting one big thing." Nightcrawler said. 

 

"What?!" All three asked.

 

"My master, Kelley."

 

"Oooooh." They groaned, realizing what he meant.

 

"Well, when he says that you're 'forbbiden' from ever leaving the belltower, does he mean 'ever'-ever?" Victor asked.

 

"'Never'-ever!" Nightcrawler corrected. "And he hates the Feast of Fools! He'd be furious if I asked to go."

 

"Who says you gotta ask...?" Hugo said with a smirk.

 

"Oh no!"

 

"You sneak out!"

 

"It's just one afternoon!" Laverne persisted. 

 

"I couldn't!" Nightcrawler gasped.

 

"And you sneak back in!" Hugo chuckled.

 

"He'll never know that you were gone!" Laverne laughed.

 

"And if I got caught-!"

 

"Better to beg forgiveness then ask permission." Victor said, agreeing with the other gargoyles.

 

"He might see me!"

 

"You could wear a disguise!" Hugo persisted. "Just this once! What Kelley doesn't know can't hurt ya!"

 

"Ignorance is bliss!" Quoted Victor in agreement.

 

"Nobody wants to stay cooped up here forever." And there it was, Laverne echoing his words from earlier.

 

Nightcrawler thought about it for a moment, then smiled. "You're right! I'll go!" The trio cheered as he bounded along. "I'll get cleaned up! I'll stroll down those stairs! I'll march through the doors and-!"

 

"Good morning Nightcrawler." Kelley was right there! 

 

"G-good m-m-morning master..." The young man backed up, tail drooping as he did so. Victor, Hugo and Laverne had yet again turned to stone. 

 

"Dear boy, whoever are you talking to?" 

 

"My... friends..."

 

"I see." The Judge rapped his skull on Victor's head. "And what are your friends made of, Nightcrawler?"

 

"Stone..." His golden eyes looked down at the floor as a cold, firm hand cupped his jaw and made him look up. 

 

"Can stone talk?"

 

"No it can't." 

 

"That's right." He pulled his hand away. "You're a smart lad. Now! Lunch." Kelley seated himself at a small table with a picnic basket, and Nightcrawler grabbed a platter and set out two flat discs that served as plates and two crude stone goblets before seating himself on a barrel. "Shall we review your alphabet today?" He opened a book and turned his eyes downwards at the paper.

 

"Oh, yes Master. I would like that very much." Nightcrawler responded with little excitement to his voice though Kelley did not care.

 

"Very well. A," The Judge poured a bottle of wine into the young man's cup. 

 

"Abomination."

 

"B."

 

"Blasphemy."

 

"C-Contristion."

 

"D." He poured himself a goblet, already looking bored.

 

"Damnation?"

 

"E." He lifted it up.

 

"Eternal damnation." 

 

"Good, F."

 

"Festival." 

 

Kelley spat out his wine.  "Excuse me?" 

 

"F-Forgiveness!" Nightcrawler corrected himself.

 

"You said, festival." The Judge's voice was dark as he shut the book and the young man panicked.

 

"NO!"

 

"You are thinking about going to the festival." He growled. 

 

"I-it's just that, you go ever year-!"

 

"I, am a public official! I must go!" Kelley justified himself as he began to descend the stairs with Nightcrawler following him. "But I don't enjoy a moment! Thieves and cutpurses, the dregs of humankind all mixed together in a shallow drunken stupor." He walked outside onto a balcony with the lad right behind him, tail dragging on the ground.

 

"I didn't mean to upset you, Master..." He murmured in defeat.

 

"Nightcrawler can't you understand? When your heartless mother abandoned you as a child, anyone else would have ground you. And this is my thanks for taking you in and raising you as my son?" Even though Kelley's voice was gentle, it still stabbed at the man dearly. 

 

"I'm sorry sir." He clasped his blue deformed hands together and knelt his head. 

 

"Oh my dear Nightcrawler," he said as he placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him to look out at the city. "You don't know what it's like out there. I do..." His gaze narrowed slightly and he turned him around to look at his face.

 

 **"The world is cruel,**  
**The world is wicked,**  
**It's I alone whom you can trust in this whole city!**  
**I am your only friend."**

 

He smiled wickedly at the poor soul and wiped some black hair away from his pupiless, golden eyes, making him meet his gaze. 

 

 **"I who keep you, teach you, feed you, dress you.**  
**I who look upon you without fear."**

 

Kelley pulled away and turned around, gesturing for him to follow.

 

 **"How can I protect you, boy, unless you always stay in here,**  
**Away in here..."**

 

They entered the belltower and Kelley continued. "Remember what I taught you, Nightcrawler..." He clasped his hands together.

 

**"You are deformed,"**

 

 **"I am deformed."** Nightcrawler echoed as the ascended the stairs. 

 

**"And you are ugly,"**

 

**"And I am ugly."**

 

The Judge approached his model square and gestured to it. 

 

 **"And these are crimes,**  
**For which the world,**  
**Shows little pity!**  
**You do not comprehend,"**

"You are my one defender."  Nightcrawler picked up the figurine of himself and looked at it, a demon in the eyes of others but Kelley.

 

 **"Out there they'll revile you,**  
**As a monster!"**

 

**"I am a monster."**

**"Out there they will hate,**  
**And scorn and jeer,"**

**"Only a monster."**

 

His gaze fell upon his other figurine and he held it in comparison.

 

 **"Why invite their calumny,**  
**And consternation?**  
**Stay in here,**  
**Be faithful to me."**

The Judge's hand swept across and knocked over the little wooden people in it's path before setting down the basket with Nightcrawler's lunch.

 

**"I'm faithful."**

**"Grateful to me."**

**"I'm grateful."**

**"Do as I say,**  
**Obey,**  
**And stay,**  
**In here."**

 

His model was placed back up into the tower as he echoed,

 

"I'll stay,  
In here..."

 

Kelley's slightly wrathful look fell upon the reluctant expression of the lad's as he passed by.

 

"You are good to me Master. I'm sorry." He apologized.

 

"You are forgiven." The Judge replied without looking back, then turned. "But remember Nightcrawler, this is your sanctuary." And with that, he left.

 

"My sanctuary..." Nightcrawler echoed, and his gaze turned upwards at the bells.

 

**"Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone..."**

 

He climbed up the rafters skillfully and gazed downwards at the preparations being made.

**"Gazing at the people down below me,**  
**All my life I watch them as I hide up here alone,**  
**Hungry for the histories they show me."**

 

Nightcrawler scooped up the fallen figurine of a woman and placed it back on the model square, placing them neatly where each belonged.

 

 **"All my life I memorize their faces,**  
**Knowing them as they will never know me."**

He then placed himself in the center, where he was sure he belonged for real.

 

 **"All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day,**  
**Not above them,**  
**But part of them..."**

 

He stepped outside and climbed onto a stone railing, gazing downwards again before impressively leaping and swinging himself around a column before landing in between Victor, Hugo and Laverne.

 

 **"And out there,**  
**Living in the sun,**  
**Give me one day out there!**  
**All I ask is one,**  
**To hold forever!"**

 

He leaned outwards, feeling the wind rushing through his fur and hair as he gazed at Paris, climbing to different columns to get a better look from each angle.

 

 **"Out there,**  
**Where they all live unaware!**  
**What I'd give,**  
**What I'd dare,**  
**Just to live one day out there!"**

Nightcrawler landed and leaned against a balcony railing, gazing out at the square below him, at the people he recognized as they hurried about.

 

 **"Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives,**  
**Through the roofs and gables I can see them.**  
**Ev'ry day they shout and scold and go about their lives,**  
**Heedless of the gift it is to be them!"**

 

He leaped fron his perch and slid down one of the few aquaducts that poked out from the cathedral, sliding to a stop perfectly and sat down.

  
**"If I was in their skin,**  
**I'd treasure ev'ry instant!"**

 

Nightcrawler stood up and held out his arms as if to embrace the warm morning sun, inviting the day into his life... the chance to really live as he wished.

 

 **"Out there,**  
**Strolling by the Seine,**  
**Taste a morning out there!**  
**Like ordinary men,**  
**Who freely walk about there!**  
**Just one day and then,**  
**I swear I'll be content!**  
**With my share,**  
**Won't resent,**  
**Won't despair,**  
**Old and bent,**  
**I won't care,**  
**I'll have spent,**  
**One day,**  
**Out there!"**

 

He was going to do it. He was going to go to the festival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so the link for the song is here:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxFD7Tk8Kps
> 
> I don't own Disney or the X-men!
> 
>  
> 
> Also note:
> 
> Bold means singing, italic is flashback and plain is just them talking.


	3. Topsy Turvy!

Meanwhile, far below, Captain James Madrox was returning to Paris at long last, trying to figure out where he was from a map. With a huff, he gave up and turned to his horse. "You leave for a couple of decades and they change everything!" A pair of guards marched by with lowered gazes and scowls. "Excuse me gentlemen I'm looking for the Palace of Justice would you-?" They kept marching by. "Mmmh... I guess not." James continued along with a huff, utterly lost.

 

As they walked along, over in a corner sat a goat and three mutants; a pot-bellied flute player with an extra set of eyes, a scraggly young boy with fins, and a beautiful young lady with surprisingly glowing green hair.

 

A small girl gasped in delight at the exotic music and the lady's dancing, but her mother pulled her along. "Stay away child, they're mutants! They'll steal us blind." She warned.

 

With a slight scoff to herself, the green-haired mutant betrayed hardly any emotion but her hair did give off an unimpressed flash as she continued to beat her tamborine. James paused at the sight, smiled kindly and threw in a few gold coins into a ratty purple hat. And then, his eyes caught the smiling lady, who's hair shone and glowed with a halo of pale light, almost angelic. She shot him a sultry smile and shook her tamborine with a sway of her hips, giggling slightly at is gaze upon her. 

 

The moment was interrupted by a whistle from the boy, who dove over a wall and the green-haired mutant gasped. She and her companion began to run off but dropped the hat full of coins by accident. The goat bleated in alarm and she turned around, rushing over to retrieve it- only to hand it trod upon by two scowling guards. 

 

"All right mutant, where'd you get the money?"

 

"For your information I earned it!" She defended herself, clutching the hat and what little remained inside of it close to herself. 

 

"Mutants don't earn money." The first guard growled, while the second grabbed her by her shoulders. 

 

"You were stealing!"

 

"You'd know a lot about stealing!" She retorted bravely, glaring at them. 

 

"Troublemaker!" The first guard snarled, pulling away the hat only to have it snatched and pulled back by her, then earned a swift kick to the head! 

 

"Maybe a day in the stockades will cool you down!" The other growled as she pulled herself free momentarily, only the goat kicked them both in the gut and knocked them over! And with that, she leaped over them and bounded away, clutching the hat and the goat was right behind her.

 

"Come back here gypsy!" The guards began to chase her but he stepped in to help, pulling his horse in front of them and knocking them onto the ground. "Achilles, sit." He ordered his horse, who obeyed and promptly sat on the first of the two guards.

 

"Oh dear! I am so sorry! Naughty horse!" James playfully scolded as the townsfolk laughed at the sight. "Naughty! He's just impossible. Really, I can't take him anywhere."

 

The mutant watched from behind a corner, giggling and then hurried away with her pet goat, a flash of green being the last seen of her. 

 

"Get this thing off me!" The first guard wailed, and the other glared.

 

"I'll teach you a lesson, peasant!" He began to draw his short dagger. 

 

In retaliation, James drew his own sword as well. "You were saying, luitenant?" 

 

The second guard gasped in realization. "C-captain!" He tried to salute but ended up slapping himself. "At your service sir!" 

 

The blade of his sword clipped the pinned soldier's mustache as James knelt down. "I know you have a lot on your mind right now but, the Palace of Justice?" 

 

A few minutes had him marching along, being lead by the two soldiers, the first declaring, "Make way for the Captain!" along with the second.

 

James paused, seeing some coins left on the ground and spotted a beggar with a pipe, shrouded in a cloak. With a knowing smile, he dropped them into the purple hat and continued on his way.

 

After a few moments the cloak was pulled down, revealing the green haired mutant and her goat, staring after him in disbelief. Had he really given them the money? Who was he...?

 

\---

 

The Palace of Justice was dark and foreboding, even on the outside. As James entered and walked into the torture chamber, he overheard Judge Kelley speaking to his underling.

 

"Stop."

 

"Sir?" The little bearded man holding a flog stepped forward.

 

"Ease up, wait between lashes. Otherwise the old sting will dull him to the new." 

 

The smirk on the torturer's face sent chills running up James' spine. "Yes sir."

 

"Ah, so this is the gallant Captain Madrox, home from the wars." Judge Kelley walked towards him with a pleased expression on his face. 

 

"Reporting for duty as ordered, sir." He stood at attention as the Judge circled him like a vulture. 

 

"Your service record precieves you Madrox. I expect nothing but the best from a war hero of your calibre."

 

"You shall have it sir, I guaruntee it."

 

"Yes." Kelley sounded pleased. "You know, my last Captain of the Guard was erm, a bit of a dissapointment to me." As if to punctuate this, there was a crack and an anguished cry from the other room. "Well, no matter. I'm sure you'll whip my men into shape?"

 

"Uhm, thank you. It's a tre- hm, a tremendous honor." James followed him outside onto a trellis. Far below they could hear the faint sounds of the party beginning. 

 

"You've come to Paris in her darkest hour, Captain. It will take a firm hand to save the weak-minded from being so easily mislead."

 

"Mislead, sir?" James didn't follow.

 

"Look Captain," he gestured towards the city far below them. "Mutants." He said with obvious discuss, eyeing a flicker of green light that belonged the young mutant as she danced merrily. "The mutants live outside the normal order. Their heathen ways inflame the people's lowest instincts, and they must, be, stopped." He clenched a wrinkled fist covered in jeweled rings.

 

"I was summoned from the wars, the capture fortune-tellers and palm readers?!" James was taken aback at this.

 

"Ah, the real war Captain, is what you see before you." Kelley motioned down to the flicker of light again. "For twenty years I have been... taking care, of the mutants." He eyed a few ants crawling on the rail of the trellis, and squashed them each time he spoke the next sentence, "One, by, one. And yet, for all my succsess, they have thrived." The Judge removed the stone and revealed a nest of ants beneath. 

  
"I believe that they have a safe haven within the walls of this very city, a nest if you will. They call it the, heh, 'Court of Miracles'." It seemed ironic to Kelley practically. 

 

"What are we going to do about it sir?" James asked him. Holding the stone, Judge Kelley turned back to the swarming black mass of ants and promptly crushed the nest with the stone. "You make your point quite vividly, sir."

 

"You know, I like you captain." The judge placed his hand upon his shoulder. "Shall we?" He gestured down below to the festival, a cheerful 'hurrah!' being heard. He gave an annoyed look. "Ergh, duty calls. Have you ever attended a peasant festival captain?"

 

"Not recently, sir."

 

"Then this should be quite an education for you, come along..."

 

James followed, reluctantly at that.

 

====

 

Nightcrawler, wearing a cloak that hid most of his body, scaled down from the side of the cathedral, closer than he'd ever been to the square. By now there were throngs of people gathered far below, parted as a group of hooded monks walked in a procesion line. He peered up to see Hugo, Victor and Laverne wave at him, before he grabbed a long rope with cloth banners strewn on it, sliding himself down to a pole erected in the square and hung on, gazing at the procesion. As they entered the square, the crowd sang loudly and joyously,

 

**"Come one, come all!**   
**Leave your loops and milking stools,**   
**Coop the hens and pen the mules!**   
**Come one, come all!**   
**Close the churches and the schools,**   
**It's the day for breaking rules,**   
**Come and join the feast of ..."**

The rope unwound itself suddenly and Nightcrawler yelped as he swung into the gap the crowd made, right in front of the procession, and his eyes widened behind his cloak as he watched.

**"FOOLS!"**

 

Gambit burst out from beneath the robes of the procession as confetti blasted everywhere, the crowd cheering as the festivities began and he danced and sang merrily,

 

**"Once a year we throw a party here in town,**   
**Once a year we turn all Paris upside down!**   
**Ev'ry man's a king and ev'ry king's a clown,**   
**Once again it's Topsy Turvy Day!**   
**It's the day the devil in us gets released,**   
**It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest,**   
**Ev'rything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools!"**

So much was happening all at once that it confused and amazed Nightcrawler, everything was colourful and yes... topsy-turvy all right. There were dogs walking humans, a two-ended horse with a man riding on top of it and tons of bizarre and crazy masks...!

 

 **"Topsy turvy!"** The crowd chanted.

 

**"Ev'rything is upsy daysy!"**

**"Topsy Turvy!"**

**"Ev'ryone is acting craz,y**   
**Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet,**   
**That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day!"**

 

Nightcrawler got so caught up in everything that he accidentally wound up being knocked into the side of a tent! "WHOA!" He gasped as he crashed through, grabbing for something to stop his fall and grabbed a cloth screen, only for him to pull it down accidentally and expose a green-haired lady!

"HEY!" She yelped, closing the ends of her robe as she'd been dressing herself. "Are you all right?!" She gasped then, seeing the figure tangled in the middle of the tent.

 

"I-I didn't me too, I-I'm sorry...!" He gasped out, throwing the cloth off of him and clutched at the edges of his cloak as he scooted away in an attempt to flee.

 

"Oh, you're not hurt are you?" She asked in concern, tying up her robe and approached him, green hair glowing softly. "Here, let's see..."

 

"N-no!" Nightcrawler choked out in dismay as she lifted his hood and exposed his face-!

 

The goat that was with her made a shuddering bleat, but the mutant didn't seem affected at all! "There, see? No harm done." She said comfortingly. He found himself smiling in both shock, relief and wonder at the pretty woman as she helped him up and guided him out. "Just try to be a little more careful."

 

"I-I will..." He agreed, pulling up the hood of his cloak.

 

"By the way, great mask!" She called after him and disappeared inside of the tent.

 

Nightcrawler gave a swooned smile, before his attention was yet again caught by the festival's craziness.

 

**"Topsy Turvy!"**

**"Beat the drums and blow the trumpets!"**

**"Topsy Turvy!"**

 

There was a man in a lobster costume shoving a cart with a cook taking a bath in the cauldron, a mutant family playing music on a small stand, clowns popping their masks and confetti exploded from each one, and before he realized what was going on he was dragged into a dance by a grinning woman in costume! At least he hoped it was a woman... it was hard to tell.

**"Join the bums and thieves and strumpets**   
**Streaming in from Chartres to Calais!"**

 

Off to the side, the guarded carriage pulled in along with Captain James Madrox as Judge Robert Kelley arrived to the festival to oversee it but not to partake of it in any way. James had his men surround the area to make sure the festival didn't get too out of hand, this was after all the Judge he was working for. 

**"Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy**   
**On the sixth of 'Januervy'!"**

The Judge stepped out of his carriage as the crowd cried out,

 

**"All because it's Topsy Turvy Day!"**

 

Gambit stepped out from the crowd, arms outstretched as he daringly approached the Judge and shouted,

 

**"Come one, come all!**   
**Hurry, hurry, here's your chance,**   
**See the myst'ry and romance!"**

He playfully elbowed at Kelley, who gave him a reproachful look and dusted himself off as to wipe away filth but the mutant didn't notice as he backed up to the stage set in the crowd, leaping over a cloaked Nightcrawler and stood upon it.

**"Come one, come all**   
**See the finest girl in France**   
**Make an entrance to entrance**   
**Dance la our Amanda,**   
**Dance!"**

There was an explosion of purple light and in Gambit's place was the green-haired mutant -Amanda- dressed in a beautiful and sultry blue-and-teal dress, adorned with gold jewlery and her green hair shining as she danced before them, causing whistles and cheers as she paraded herself across the stage quickly and skillfully. Judge Kelley's jaw dropped at the sight of her, out of amazement or revolt he didn't know.

 

"Look at that disgusting display." He snarled at last, and James uttered a 'yes sir' as he watched as well, seemingly entranced as well.

 

The mutant danced with a purple silk scarf decorated with golden stars and moons before she leaped like a deer off of the stage, onto a table and then into the stand where the Judge sat, crouching on his chair and gave him a half-lidded smirk as she wrapped the silk around his neck, pulled him close and pecked his nose before slamming his hat down playfully and bounded off with a laugh, hair flashing with bright light as she did. The crowd laughed and cheered her on as Amanda landed back on the stage, spun around and fluttered her skirt playfully before completing a round of cartwheels and the spilts, looking over and spying Nightcrawler before winking at him, making the young man blush blue at her. She quickly hopped up, grabbed a spear from a watching guard, ran and volted with it, swinging herself around the pole and then twisted, hooking a leg around it as she leaned back with a grin. The crowd exploded into hoots and shouts of praise as she stretched out her arm and nodded. 

 

The crowd threw flowers and gold coins at her as she bowed, going wild. A few moments later, Gambit reappeared on the stage.

 

"And now! The pièce de résistance!" He shouted above the noise.

**"Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for,**   
**Here it is, you know exactly what's in store!**   
**Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore,**   
**Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!"**

 

The crowd around Nightcrawler elbowed each other and snickered, and the young man looked on in confusion. This was new to him... "You all remember last year's king?" Gambit ushered their attention towards a drunkard seated upon a wooden throne carried by a few men, letting out a gross belch. 

 

**"So make a face that's horrible and frightening,**   
**Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing!**   
**For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools!"**

 

A few masked individuals climbed up, and in excitement though unsure, Nightcrawler pulled himself up with Amanda's help, forgetting his notion to be cautious and his cloak fell off without notice. 

 

 **"Topsy turvy!"** The crowd chanted as they gathered.

**"Ugly folk, forget your shyness!"**

 

Nightcrawler was pulled into the line of contestors, and nervously eyed everything.

 

**"Topsy Turvy!"**

**"You could soon be called Your Highness!"**

 

His tail swung slowly in anticipation, wondering what would happen.

**"Put your foulest features on display,**   
**Be the king of Topsy Turvy Day!"**

Amanda pulled off the first mask and the man behind it made an ugly face. The crowd booed in response and he was butted off by the goat! The same went for each contender that followed and was booed at until all but Nightcrawler was left, and she pulled at his face and he yelped in pain. It was his real face! Amanda gasped and so did the crowd, many letting out loud shrieks of horror. 

 

"That's no mask!"

 

"It's his face!"

 

"He's hideous!"

 

"It's the bellringer from Notre Dame!" 

 

They all took a collective step back and Judge Kelley rose from his seat in shock, Nightcrawler looking around in fear and sorrow. They were all afraid of him! He clapped his deformed hands over his face and hung his head in sorrow, about to run away- but then Gambit stepped in.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic! We asked for the ugliest face in all of Paris and here he is!"  The horrified looks of the people turned to confusion, then delight at his words sank in. "Nightcrawler, the Demon of Notre Dame!" The Fool's Crown was placed upon his head and like the crowd, his face turned from sorrow into joy. They liked him, despite his looks! They liked him! They rushed over and lifted him up, carrying him over to the throne as the previous king was booted out. 

 

"Ev'rybody!" Gambit cheered as their new king was carried along, and the crowd sang.

 

**"Once a year we throw a party here in town,"**

 

**"Hail to the king!"**

**"Once a year we turn all Paris upside down!"**

**"Oh, what a king!"**

 

Nightcrawler was carried through the crowd and he excitedly looked around, overjoyed. He was appreciated! He'd been accepted! 

**"Once a year, the ugliest will wear a crown,"**

**"Girls, give a kiss!"**

Two peasent girls smacked him on the cheeks as they passed by, and he blushed a touch at the attention he was recieving. But, still smiling shyly, he waved at Kelley who only glowered at him. Uh oh, he'd hear about this later for certain! 

**"Once a year on Topsy Turvy Day!"**

**"We've never had a king like this,"**

 

Nightcrawler stepped onto a stand and immediately Gambit put a king's cloak around his shoulders, and the young man shed a few joyful tears as the crowd danced around the stand, and was given a sceptre finally and guided to stand on a spot facing the crowd and happily waved down below. Oh, this was perfect!

**"And it's the day we do the things that we deplore,**   
**On the other three hundred and sixty-four!**   
**Once a year we love to drop in,**   
**Where the beer is never stoppin,**   
**For the chance to pop some popinjay,**   
**And pick a king who'll put the "top" in,"**

 

This was marvelous, splendid, stupendous!

**"Topsy Turvy Day!**   
**Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, Topsy Turvy Day!"**

 

This was the best day of his life! 

 

The crowd chanted his name over and over, "Night-crawl-er! Night-crawl-er!" Throwing flowers towards him as he looked down at all of their faces. He felt as if his heart would burst from the sheer joy he felt. 

 

Then, out of nowhere, a rotten tomato was flung at him and splattered across his face! He gasped and lurched back a touch, and stared at it in confusion. What the-? The crowd seemed equally confused, gasping and looking at each other. Who had thrown that? 

 

"Now that's ugly!" A guard shouted, the one who'd thrown the tomato. 

 

"Hail to the king!" Another guard joined in, throwing a tomato and it hit him squarely in the face! 

 

More rotten fruits and vegetables were tossed at him, and he tried to dodge them but slipped and fell on his back! The crowd's horrified demeanor quickly turned into that of amusement. They liked the torment! They began to point and laugh, joining in on tossing the food at him as Nightcrawler tried to stand up and flee.

 

"Where you going Demon? The fun's just beginning!" Someone shouted and lassoed him with a rope!

 

He choked in air as he was pulled back and onto his front, tail waving furiously in distress. Another rope tied around his arm and pulled at his arm, and it hurt! In retlation he let out a fearsome hiss and managed to wrap his tail around the ropes and pull himself free, ripping his tunic in the process. More and more ropes were flung though and two men tied him down as eggs began to pelt him as well. Nightcrawler watched in horror as the wheel he'd been tied to spun him around as the townsfolk threw vegetables and eggs at him, and he let out a cry of distress.

 

"MASTER!" He cried out, spotting Kelley. "MASTER PLEASE, HELP ME!" 

 

The man didn't move, only watched, and it was like a dagger to his heart. He ducked his head in defeat and silently cried, tail curling around himself. 

 

"Sir, permission to stop this cruelty." James requested, seeing the look on the poor lad's face.

 

"In a moment captain. A lesson needs to be learned here." Judge Kelley said with a wry smirk, then a collective gasp made him freeze and watch along with James at such a sight...

 

The young mutant, Amanda slowly walked up the steps of the stand, towards Nightcrawler. Her hair flashed and glowed beautifully as the sun behind her, dressed now in a simple cotton garb and her hazel eyes lowered. Pity and compassion was on her face as she approached, and nobody dared throw another piece of produce. Nobody even moved. This was... surreal to them all. Slowly, she undid the tasseled sash around her waist and spoke softly,

 

"Don't be afraid." Nightcrawler flinched and closed his eyes in shame. "I'm sorry, this wasn't supposed to happen." Amanda knelt down and carefully wiped the guck around his face tenderly, slow and soft.

 

"You! Mutant girl!" The Judge shouted, breaking the peaceful moment and she looked over at him. "Get down at once!"

 

"Yes your honor, just as soon as I free this poor creature." She called back to him, retying her sash. 

 

"I forbid it!" He growled out. With a firm gaze she pulled out a small knife, it's blade beginning to glow like her hair as she cut through the ropes easily, the glow seeming to burn the twine like nothing! "How dare you defy me!" 

 

Amanda stood firm though, and boldly shouted, "You mistreat this poor soul the same way you mistreat my people! You speak of justice, yet you are most cruel to those in need of your help!"

 

"SILENCE!"

 

"JUSTICE!" She cried, throwing her fist upwards and her hair flashed brightly. The crowd gasped and murmured amongst themselves. Who was she...?

 

She turned around and threw the ropes off of Nightcrawler, and helped him back up. "Mark my words, mutant. You will pay for the insolence!" Kelley snarled.

 

"Then it appears we've crowned the wrong fool! The only fool I see, is you!" Amanda took his crown and threw it at the Judge, fire burning in her hazel eyes. With indignation, the man turned to James.

 

"Captain Madrox, arrest her!" 

 

Reluctantly, James motioned for his guards to close in on her. "Well let's see. One, two, three, four, five six seven eight nine... So there's ten of you and on of me." She counted aloud, and feigned fear. "What's a poor girl to do?" She pulled out a cloth from her dress, let out a sob and blew her nose. She erupted into a bright green flash of light that singed the ground around her and blinded the guards! 

 

"Witchcraft...!" Judge Kelley gasped in horror.

 

"Oh boys, over here!" Amanda sang and their attention was drawn to a basket of 'heads', her own laying there along with her pet goat's and both made silly faces.

 

Two guards chased her, but she dove into the crowd, who supported her and carried her safely away while the other two were merely dropped, and hard. Three more charged her way but with an expert flip she grabbed onto a cage and swung herself, knocking them down and the chain to it snapped! She rolled along though, arms crossed and seemed to make a show of it, laughing gayly as she hurried along. A crippled beggar tried to wheel himself out of her path but she merely hopped onto the back and caught a ride, cheering when they jumped and landed with a loud crash but stayed upright.  One chased her on horseback, but she ran and evaded him by yanking down the pants of a man on stilts, using it as a slingshot to stop and then propel the guard across the square with a shout. Nightcrawler watched in amazement along with the crowd, who cheered as his hat landed on her head and she took a bow with it.

 

Three more joined in but Amanda merely smirked and, with the disc glowing, threw it at them and managed to knock them all over. James had to duck to avoid getting his head chopped up, but sighed dreamily as it embedded itself into the post behind him. "Whatta woman!" 

 

The last two chased after her but she evaded them, darting beneath one of the stilted men who dropped a pole -which they caught- and in turn the guards ended up knocking Judge Kelley's stand right on top of him! Everyone erupted into cheers at the 'show' of sorts, and Amanda was set atop the stage, bowing happily and with a wink and a blinding flash of green, she disappeared under a cloth, but when it was lifted up she was gone! The crowd gasped but then cheered as their heroine made her grand escape. 

 

Thunder rumbled omniously above them all, and it became clear to everyone that the Feast of Fools was over. Kelley placed his judge's hat on after freeing himself of the shambles and glared over at Nightcrawler, who still knelt in his spot, and looked fearfully at him. Mounting himself on his black steed, he turned to James. "Find her captain. I want her alive." He growled.

 

"Yes sir." James agreed. "Seal off the area men! Find the mutant girl but do not harm her!" 

 

As Nightcrawler began to climb down, Kelley rode over and gave him a firm glare. He ducked his head and his tail dropped as well, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm sorry master... I will never disobey you again." He then leaped down and the crowd gasped and parted, staring at the demon with fearful eyes. He stumbled back towards Notre Dame with tears clouding his gaze, shutting the large wooden door behind him... and sobbed, enveloping himself in darkness.


End file.
